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him； enjoyed the meal—again in corroboration of the magnates； as
exemplifying the utter want of calculation on the part of these
people； sir。
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“I ha never thowt yet； missus；” said Stephen； “o’ askin thy
name。”
The old lady announced herself as “Mrs Pegler。”
“A widder； I think？” said Stephen。
“Oh； many years！” Mrs Pegler’s husband （one of the best on
record） was already dead； by Mrs Pegler’s calculation； when
Stephen was born。
“’Twere a bad job too； to lose so good a one；” said Stephen。
“Onny children？”
Mrs Pegler’s cup； rattling against her saucer as she held it；
denoted some nervousness on her part。 “No；” she said。 “Not now；
not now。”
“Dead； Stephen；” Rachael softly hinted。
“I’m sooary I ha’ spok’n on ’t；” said Stephen； “I ought t’ hadn in
my mind as I might touch a sore place。 I—I blame myseln。”
While he excused himself； the old lady’s cup rattled more and
more。 “I had a son；” she said； curiously distressed； and not by any
of the usual appearances of sorrow； “and he did well； wonderfully
well。 But he is not to be spoken of if you please。 He is—” Putting
down her cup； she moved her hands as if she would have added；
by her action； “dead！” Then she said aloud； “I have lost him。”
Stephen had not yet got the better of his having given the old
lady pain； when his landlady came stumbling up the narrow stairs；
and calling him to the door； whispered in his ear。 Mrs Pegler was
by no means deaf； for she caught a word as it was uttered。
“Bounderby！” she cried； in a suppressed voice； starting up from
the table。 “Oh hide me！ Don’t let me be seen for the world。 Don’t
let him come up till I’ve got away。 Pray； pray！” She trembled； and
was excessively agitated； getting behind Rachael； when Rachael
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Hard Times 202
tried to reassure her； and not seeming to know what she was
about。
“But hearken； missus； hearken；” said Stephen； astonished；
“’Tisn’t Mr Bounderby； ’tis his wife。 Your not fearfo’ o’ her。 Yo was
hey…go…mad about her； but an hour sin。”
“But are you sure it’s the lady； and not the gentleman？” she
asked； still trembling。
“Certain sure！”
“Well then； pray don’t speak to me； nor yet take any notice of
me；” said the old woman。 “Let me be quite to myself in this
corner。”
Stephen nodded； looking to Rachael for an explanation； which
she was quite unable to give him； took the candle； went
downstairs； and in a few moments returned； lighting Louisa into
the room。 She was followed by the whelp。
Rachel had risen； and stood apart with her shawl and bonnet in
her hand； when Stephen； himself profoundly astonished by this
visit； put the candle on the table。 Then he too stood； with his
doubled hand upon the table near it； waiting to be addressed。
For the first time in her life； Louisa had come into one of the
dwellings of Coketown hands； for the first time in her life； she was
face to face with anything like individuality in connection with
them。 She knew of their existence by hundreds and by thousands。
She knew what results in work a given number of them would
produce； in a given space of time。 She knew them in crowds
passing to and from their nests； like ants or beetles。 But she knew
from her reading infinitely more of the ways of toiling insects than
of these toiling men and women。
Something to be worked so much and paid so much； and there
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Hard Times 203
ended； something to be infallibly settled by laws of supply and
demand； something that blundered against those laws； and
floundered into difficulty； something that was a little pinched
when wheat was dear； and over…ate itself when wheat was cheap；
something that increased at such a rate of percentage； and yielded
such another percentage of crime； and such another percentage of
pauperism； something wholesale； of which vast fortunes were
made； something that occasionally rose like the sea； and did some
harm and waste （chiefly to itself）； and fell again； this she knew the
Coketown Hands to be。 But； she had scarcely thought more of
separating them into units； than of separating the sea itself into
component drops。
She stood for some moments looking round the room。 From the
few chairs； the few books； the common prints； and the bed； she
glanced to the two women； and to Stephen。
“I have come to speak to you； in consequence of what passed
just now。 I should like to be serviceable to you； if you will let me。 Is
this your wife？”
Rachael raised her eyes； and they sufficiently answered no； and
dropped again。
“I remember；” said Louisa； reddening at her mistake； “I
recollect； now； to have heard your domestic misfortunes spoken of；
though I was not attending to the particulars at the time。 It was
not my meaning to ask a question that would give pain to any one
here。 If I should ask any other question that may happen to have
that result； give me credit； if you please； for being in ignorance
how to speak to you as I ought。”
As Stephen had but a little while ago instinctively addressed
himself to her； so she now instinctively addressed herself to
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Hard Times 204
Rachel。 Her manner was short and abrupt； yet faltering and timid。
“He has told you what has passed between himself and my
husband？ You would be his first resource； I think。”
“I have heard the end of it； young lady；” said Rachael。
“Did I understand； that； being rejected by one employer； he
would probably be rejected by all？ I thought he said as much？”
“The chances are very small； young lady—next to nothing—for
a man who gets a bad name among them。”
“What shall I understand that you mean by a bad name？”
“The name of being troublesome。”
“Then； by the prejudices of his own class； and by the prejudices
of the other； he is sacrificed alike？ Are the two so deeply separated
in this town； that there is no place whatever； for an honest
workman between them？”
Rachael shook her head in silence。
“He fell into suspicion；” said Louisa； “with his fellow…weavers；
because he had made a promise not to be one of them。 I think it
must have been to you that he made that promise。 Might I ask you
why he made it？”
Rachael burst into tears。 “I didn’t seek it of him； poor lad； I
prayed him to avoid trouble for his own good； little thinking he’d
come to it through me。 But I know he’d die a hundred deaths； ere
ever he’d break his word。 I know that of him well。”
Stephen had remained quietly attentive； in his usual thoughtful
attitude； with his hand at his chin。 He now spoke in a voice rather
less steady than usual。
“No one； excepting myseln； can ever know what honour； an
what love； and respect； I bear to Rachael； or wi’ what cause。 When
I passed that promess； I towd her true； she were th’ Angel o’ my
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life。 ’Twere a solemn promess。 ’Tis gone fro’ me； for ever。”
Louisa turned her head to him； and bent it with a deference
that was new in her。 She looked from him to Rachael； and her
features soft